Rainy Day Memories
by Star Female
Summary: A rainy day on Earth leads to a discovery in the Digital World. Hikatail. For Cynthia's birthday.


Rainy Day Memories  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing here belongs to me.  
  
  
  
Tailmon grumbled under her breath as she stared out the window of Hikari's bedroom. "What bad timing. Why couldn't it have rained yesterday or tomorrow?"  
  
She pulled herself to her feet and knocked on the door to Hikari's darkroom. "Hikari, I'm going to get some lunch, okay?"  
  
The door opened and the Keeper of Light poked her head out. "Hang on a second, all right? I've got plans for lunch today."  
  
Tailmon shook her head. "Today's not exactly the best day for a picnic, you know."  
  
The brown-haired girl smiled slightly. "I wouldn't be too sure about that. Just trust me, okay?"  
  
Hikari stepped back inside the darkroom, shutting the door behind herself. She spent a few more minutes cleaning up the aftermath of her latest project, then washed her hands.  
  
Opening the door again, she called to her partner. "Okay, let's go, Tailmon."  
  
"Huh? Go WHERE? It's raining."  
  
Hikari smiled. "Silly. There's places it won't be raining in the Digital World."  
  
The cat digimon's eyes widened in understanding. "Oh, yeah..."  
  
A few minutes later, Hikari and Tailmon stood in front of the Yagami family's computer. The halfbreed shifted the picnic basket to one hand and held out her digivice. "Digital Gate, open!"  
  
Shining white light burst from the computer screen, enveloping both of them.  
  
***  
  
It might have been a rainy fall day back in Odaiba, but it was a bright summer day in the Digital World.  
  
Hikari and Tailmon arrived on the edge of a forest, a short distance from a familiar lake.  
  
"Hikari...this is where we all said goodbye," the feline Adult said, recognizing the place, her ears drooping slightly.  
  
The brown-haired girl frowned a little as she spread out the blanket. "Yeah...it was so disappointing that I had to leave you after we'd just met."  
  
"But you came back after the battle with Diablomon," Tailmon continued. "And you all gave up your Crest powers to form that seal."  
  
"Yeah..." Hikari trailed off. "It was disappointing having to leave you again. And then we found out about the Kaiser..."  
  
"Daisuke and the others were called...we found the Digimentals..."  
  
"Seeing you armor evolve to Nefertimon was amazing...The Light of Smiles. I definitely smiled when I saw her."  
  
"Going to Full-Metal City...seeing Andromon again...watching you disable that Evil Ring by helping him remember everything we did together..."  
  
"Spending the day at the beach...I don't care what you say-seeing you drink through a straw is still funny."  
  
"HEY!" Tailmon mock-glared at her girlfriend. "If THAT'S how you feel, then you won't be getting any dessert!"  
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean it! Forgive me!" Hikari grinned. "Please, please let me have dessert!"  
  
"Well, since you're sorry..." Tailmon smiled. "You're so easy to tease."  
  
Xuanwumon's daughter reddened. "I am NOT easy to tease!"  
  
"Sure you are." Tailmon's mood darkened. "And then Dagomon called you to the Dark Area...I watched you disappear...I was so WORRIED!"  
  
Hikari shuddered. "Don't remind me...If you, Takeru, and Patamon hadn't come when you did, then those...creatures would have..."  
  
Tailmon scowled. "Anyone who touches you without your permission will have ME to deal with!"  
  
"Thanks." Hikari hugged her partner. "Not long after that, Ken lost Wormmon and stopped being the Kaiser..."  
  
"That really brought back memories," Tailmon said quietly. "Seeing him lose Wormmon like that, I mean. Watching your best friend die is something no one should have to face."  
  
"I felt so awful when Wizarmon died...I know how much your friendship meant..."  
  
Tailmon clenched one fist. "I paid that jerk back, though. He was the only person I was ever actually GLAD to kill. He deserved to die after all he'd done."  
  
"Your nightmares never really stopped...that should have told us something," Hikari said. "After you came back to Earth with me, I don't think there was a night when you didn't have at least one."  
  
"All the signs pointed to his return," Tailmon said. "I still don't understand why I didn't see it...Maybe I didn't WANT to see it. When I think of him crouched inside that man's mind, waiting for the right time, getting crazier, hating us more all the time..."  
  
"When BelialVamdemon appeared, I was afraid," Hikari admitted. "After the awful way he killed Arachnimon and Mummymon...I was so afraid he'd turn on you next and kill you..."  
  
"Telling him exactly what I thought of him was EXTREMELY satisfying," Tailmon said.  
  
"And then Imperialdramon's Fighter Mode killed him," Hikari said.  
  
"Now we don't have to worry about him ever again," her partner said, her expression turning to one of relief. "Don't have to live under his shadow any more..."  
  
"You know, in a strange sort of way, I AM a little grateful to Vamdemon," Hikari said slowly.  
  
Tailmon stared at her. "WHAT?! How can you POSSIBLY be..."  
  
"If it weren't for him, I never would have met you," the brown-haired halfbreed replied.  
  
"Okay, I can understand that," the Vaccine agreed. "When I came across you in the park, I knew you were the person I had been dreaming of, even after Vamdemon took away my memories."  
  
"I dreamed about you, too," Hikari said. "My very own guardian angel. Taichi just laughed at me, but Mom knew I was dreaming about you."  
  
"I knew you weren't meant to just be my partner...We're meant for each other, and I always knew that, at least in the back of my mind."  
  
"And now we're together." Hikari hugged her partner again. "And nothing and no one can ever change that." She smiled. "Hey, you promised me dessert, remember?"  
  
***  
  
Later that day, as they were heading back to the Gate they had arrived through, Tailmon stepped on something hard and metallic.  
  
"What..." The Adult leaned over, running her hand across the ground hidden by the grass, searching for what she'd stepped on.  
  
Hikari turned and looked back. "What is it, Tailmon?"  
  
"You'll believe what I found." Tailmon held her paws behind her back. "Right or left?'  
  
"Um...left?" Hikari guessed.  
  
Her partner held out her right hand. Lying in the center of her palm was the old whistle Hikari had given her as a goodbye present.  
  
The Keeper of Light smiled. "I remember that! Taichi gave it to me, and then I gave it to you."  
  
The cat digimon nodded. "It meant a lot to me that you gave it to me. It's like...the goggles Taichi gave to Daisuke. It's more then just an old beat- up whistle...it's a symbol of our partnership."  
  
***  
  
When they arrived back in the Yagami apartment, it was late in the afternoon, and the rain had mostly stopped.  
  
Hikari pointed out the window. "Look at that!"  
  
Tailmon followed her gaze. Stretching across the sky was a band of bright, glowing colors.  
  
"See?" Hikari said. "The rain wasn't ALL bad." 


End file.
